Magical Traces
by ChryseisYumi
Summary: After finding himself homeless and wandering, Harry stumbles upon something unlike anything he has ever seen before. He has been transported to an unfamiliar forest by an unfamiliar fairy, and soon discovers there's more to magic than he had been taught to believe. Post-OotP, EWE. No pairings yet, will decide at a later date.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The train ride with the Hogwarts express had never felt so awful before. Harry felt like every tremor resonated in his entire body. He felt sick and exhausted, and the only comfort he had was the cold of the window he was leaning his face against. He ignored his friends, who were all looking worriedly at him, and instead focused on the fog his breath made on the glass as he breathed. It was quite fascinating how the fog reappeared again and again, hiding the moving scenery from view. It was a nice distraction. It almost made him forget about things.

He tried not to think about Sirius as the fog shrouded the passing trees, or the fact that he almost killed his friends too.

The trees were there again and they were slowly blending into hills as the train moved.

He tried not to think about anything at all really. His stomach twisted unpleasantly again and he closed his eyes.

He felt so weak and helpless. The Order told him he had to go back to the Dursleys again and he was not looking forward to it at all. With his godfather dead his protection against them was gone and he was very afraid of how they will treat him now. He would not have told them that Sirius passed away, but the Headmaster sent a letter to them, informing them of the man's death and a request to leave Harry to his grieving. Like they would. They will probably use him as a House elf again like they had done all his life before the end of his third year.

Sirius. He had warned them to leave Harry alone. He had made quite an impression on his relatives that day. His aunt was fumbling around and nervously wringing her hands for weeks after that, while his uncle fumed and glared at Harry whenever he entered the room. Harry had quite enjoyed that summer.

Somewhere during his thinking the train had stopped and Hermione was shaking his shoulder lightly, her brow furrowed in worry. Harry nodded at her and took his time in gathering his trunk and other things from the compartment. Anything to slow down the inevitable, but alas, he had nothing else left to do. He once again ignored the looks from both Hermione and Ron, and with a resigned look he slowly left the train and made his way to the barrier that will take him to Kings Cross.

Mrs. Weasley saw him before he could make his leave, and she embraced him in a motherly hug, telling him to make sure he writes at least once a week and to tell them if the muggles were any trouble. Harry managed a yes through her talking, and she released him, only for him to be tackled by the others with the same demands as Mrs. Weasley. When everyone had finally finished saying their goodbyes, Harry felt suffocated. Kingsley and Tonks escorted him to the barrier and he went through it without a backwards glance. He needed to get away from them all.

They were there, his relatives. He saw his uncle get red in the face as he spotted him and he hastily made his way toward them to lessen their anger as much as possible. He vaguely felt the stares of his guards on his back as he was dragged to the car and almost tossed into it. He could not bring himself to care.

The car ride felt like an eternity, and he felt his stomach lurch again. He watched, with lidded eyes, as the other vehicles passed his car window and felt a sense of dread overcome him. He was trapped for the summer. His forehead was pressed against the glass again and his breathing labored. Dudley was trying to rouse his attention with every insult he could think of, and when that did not work he decided to violently poke his side with his meaty fingers. Harry was sure that the poking would leave bruises.

Finally they turned into a familiar street, and the car came to a stop. Petunia made a hasty retreat into the house and Dudley waddled after her, yelling something about being hungry as he made his way inside. Harry stepped out of the car and struggled with his trunk for a bit. When he could not successfully take the thing out of the car, a red faced Vernon furiously grabbed for it and dragged it into the house. Harry followed him in only to see his trunk get thrown into his old cupboard and the small space get locked.

"There will be no magic business going on in this house, do you understand me boy?!" bellowed Vernon as he turned to the sickly looking boy standing next to the stairs. He made Harry go upstairs where he proceeded to lock him into Dudley's second bedroom. The heavy thumps of the man's steps were heard through the house as he walked down the stairs.

Harry fell heavily onto his bed and passed out, knowing full well no one will bother with him for the rest of the day.

* * *

It was night when he next awoke. He fumbled with his glasses, that he barely remembered to remove before he fell into his sleep, and put them on, looking around the room slowly. Something had woken him up. A quiet giggle was heard in his ear and he whipped his head around to look for the source, only to find nothing.

His misery forgotten, for now, he grabbed for his wand only to realize that he had left it in his trunk. Feeling very vulnerable, he pressed his back against the wall on the side of the bed, observing the whole room with growing fear. Another giggle was heard in his other ear and he felt a small tickling sensation on his earlobe. He swatted at it hysterically and hit something. A small, faintly glowing orb fell onto his bed with an almost unheard thump. His panic momentarily forgotten, he slowly leaned forward to look closely at the small object, only to see it was not an object at all. A small ruffled fairy was rubbing her head slowly as she sat up, her wings luckily undamaged. She looked up at him and waved her fist at him in anger.

Harry felt stunned. He had never seen a fairy before, but he heard about them in his classes. They never show themselves to muggles, and very rarely do they visit wizards. If they do they much prefer young children over adults. So why was this little fairy here? This was a muggle area and he is no child. Lost in his thoughts, he didn't see what the little thing was up to till he felt something light tapping on his arm. He looked down and saw the beautiful creature sit down, tilting her head as she observed him. Without a thought, he lifted his other arm and slowly poked the fairy, just to make sure she was really there. A quiet squeak was heard from her as she toppled over because of him, again.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't realize I did it that hard…" whispered Harry, helping her up carefully with his fingers. She frowned at him, then sighed and got to her feet with the help of her wings. Suddenly, she turned around and jumped onto his bed, proceeding to dance around and sing in a high-pitched voice that Harry had a hard time understanding. When she noticed that he did not join her in whatever she was doing, she stopped and turned around, looking at him expectantly. When she saw his confused expression, she grasped her chin and seemed to think for a bit. When an obvious idea sparked in her face, she flew to his broken desk and started jumping around an empty piece of paper that was lying there.

Confused, Harry slowly left the bed and made his way over to the strange female, only to see that she had begun writing something with the help of magic. Intrigued, he carefully sat on the squeaky chair to prevent it from making too much noise, and waited as she wrote the whole sentence down. Finally, she stopped and turned to him with hands on her hips.

_Summer solstice ritual?_

He looked at her, baffled, and muttered a "What is that?" while leaning forward, as if that will help make sense of what she's asking. The fairy looked flustered all of a sudden and started writing anew.

_Celebrate summer! Magic ritual! You do not know the old ways?_

Harry placed his elbows onto the table and rested his hand between his palms. "Old ways? You're not making any sense…"

The fairy looked disappointed then. She sat down on the paper and wrapped her arms around her knees, resting her chin on them as she looked at him. They sat like that for a while, exchanging looks, when she perked up again, as if she came up with an idea. Once again she wrote something on the paper, and this time she gave him a look as if to say she won't take no for an answer.

_Want me to teach you the ritual?_

Harry, feeling curious about what she was going on about, consented. The fairy released a happy shout and flew towards him. She grabbed his hand and seemed to try and tug him towards the door. With some amusement he carefully stood up, mindful of the terribly noisy chair, and followed her persistent tugs. However, when they reached the door he realized that she wanted him to go outside his room. He could not. Not without his uncle becoming very angry if he found out. Besides that, there is also the fact that the door was locked. He told the fairy this and she seemed to think for a bit, when she released his hand and flew to the door, unlocking it after a few attempts. Harry just hoped that the bit of magic she obviously used will not be registered as his own. He will be in a lot of trouble if it was.

He opened the door and the fairy proceeded to fly down the hallway, stopping by the stairs, waiting impatiently for him. He tried to calm his breathing, his heart thumping in his ribcage and the blood rushing into his ears, and with a determined nod, he followed her. The quiet of the house disturbed him a little. He could only hear the faint snoring coming from the bedrooms of his relatives. He was not used to this peaceful atmosphere outside of his room. He wished he could feel like this more often, but the mutual hatred he felt for his family made it impossible.

They moved downstairs and she led him towards the door that led to the back yard. She once again used magic to unlock it, and he looked around the dark house, terrified that someone might hear the lock click. When no one came, he closed his eyes and opened the door. The cold air hit his face and made him shiver a bit. A soft light barely made its presence known from the other side of the house where the street lights illuminated the deserted streets. Aside from that, it was quite dark, and only the stars were seen in his vision. He once again felt a tiny pull on his hand and let the little fairy guide him into the middle of the back yard.

With a childish giggle, the small female started flying around the air. Harry started to wonder if she was insane when he noticed that she seemed to be making a shape in the air.

"What are you trying to do?" he asked in a small voice, still afraid his relatives would wake up. She stopped flying about and pointed at him, the ground, and once again began flying in the shape of an odd circle. Harry slowly realized what the fairy was trying to tell him and he felt even colder.

"I can't draw that into the ground, aunt Petunia will kill me!" he yelped out desperately, suddenly feeling like agreeing to anything the fairy asked was a bad idea. She looked at him again and repeated the motion.

"I cannot!" he said again, this time quite louder. The glowing girl once again made to repeat the motion, when a light illuminated the space where Harry stood. He suddenly felt like he was going to get into deep trouble and he panicked. He ran for the door and managed to bump into something on the way, which fell to the ground with a loud crash. He felt petrified for a second, and made a dash for the door again, leaving the mess behind, not even noticing the startled fairy trailing behind him. He heard uncle Vernon's booming voice ask "What in the world is all the racket?!" and tried to close the back door as quietly as possible. A series of thumps was heard from upstairs and Harry desperately looked for a place to hide, but his searching was futile and his uncle was already in the kitchen. As soon as Mr. Dursley saw the soft glow of the fairy he exploded with anger.

"Boy! I _told_ you that there was to be no magic in this house!" he practically spit out while turning on the light. By then, Harry's new friend had hidden herself somewhere, so his uncle was unaware that Harry hadn't actually done anything. Not that he wouldn't blame her presence on Harry anyway.

"That's it! I've had it! You're leaving! I don't want to see you anywhere near this house again, is that understood boy?!" his uncle continued, his face turning a very unattractive red, his eyes wild from his fury. At that moment Harry felt like time had stopped. Leaving? What about the wards? What about Voldemort? He cannot really expect Harry to just _leave_ can he? He would die! '_But_', he thought to himself bitterly then, '_he hates you, he doesn't care if you die_.'

Uncle Vernon moved away from the kitchen then, and Harry snapped back to reality. With a sinking feeling in his stomach, he followed him only to see his uncle furiously unlocking the cupboard door, cursing all the while because the only light that illuminated the lock came from the kitchen.

"Uncle Vernon, please…" Harry tried to say only to be stopped by a dangerous glint in the man's eyes, just daring him to say anything. The teenager was about to ignore the warning but something stopped him. The fairy was back and it was tugging him up the flight of stairs. Harry understood. With a resigned look toward his uncle he quickly made his way to his "room" and grabbed the few possessions he had left there, donned on his jacket and made his way to the first space he ever inhabited. By the time he got there, Mr. Dursley had already managed to open the lock, and was waiting for him with his trunk, a hard look on his face that once again made no room for argument.

Petunia was observing from the stairs now, her nightgown wrapped tightly around her thin form, her face twisted into an expression Harry had a hard time understanding. He felt betrayed by his aunt just then, because she was supposed to be his blood relative. Didn't someone once say that 'blood is thicker than water'?

He had no time to reflect on it any longer, though, because his trunk was pushed into his hands and he was all but thrown out of the house. Fortunately for the Dursleys, the unholy time of night prevented nosy neighbors to witness this event, for it was immensely large gossip material.

"Stay away from us, you hear me?" was the last thing Vernon said to him, and without so much as a goodbye, turned around and ushered his wife back inside.

With a thump, the trunk in his hands landed on the ground, but Harry paid it no heed. He stared at the closed door of his childhood home in shock, not quite believing that this actually happened. After all this time they finally made good on their threat. A cold breeze blew past him and he shivered. That's when the reality set in.

There he was, outside of number 4, Privet Drive, the street lights offering the only illumination, and even those were flickering every so often. The night time animals made sounds once in a while, leaves on the trees rustled with every soft burst of wind and the occasional vehicle was heard in the distance. He felt vulnerable. He lost a roof over his head, and the wards protecting him will fall as soon as he leaves, which he has no choice but to. He wondered for a moment if he should owl the Order, but then remembered that he released Hedwig on the train so she could go hunting. Then again, he didn't particularly want them to know how bad his life here is. And he didn't want to see them. He needed space.

As he stood there, shivering from the nighttime chill, he registered a faint glow next to his shoulder. The fairy was looking at him in concern, her little hands folded into fists in front of her mouth. Smiling weakly at her, he said softly, "I don't blame you. It was bound to happen one day. Really. They've hated my existence since I was first left on their doorstep."

Figuring he looked quite silly standing outside the house like this, he grabbed his luggage and started walking down the street. He eventually got to the playground and sat down on the sidewalk, feeling a sense of Déjà vu overcome him as he observed the bushes. The fairy sat on his shoulder and folded into herself. He stayed there for quite a while, looking around him occasionally as he pondered. Weren't there supposed to be a guard appointed at his home from the Order? Why wasn't someone here to make him go back, or take him to the headquarters?

"What am I going to do now?" he asked himself with a groan, and burrowed his head into his hands. The fairy cocked her head at the action, then she was flying towards Harry's face, nudging him in the hand. He met her gaze, confused and wary of what she wanted now, but she just smiled at him and proceeded to fly to the pavement, where she wrote a simple question with her magic.

_Want to come to my home? I promise you will come to no harm there._

Harry bit his lip as he thought about it. It was probably a very bad idea. He should be contacting the Order about being thrown out, not thinking about leaving with a creature he only just met about an hour or so ago. But the more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea. He didn't want to face his friends and teachers so soon, and he knew without a doubt that Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape would be there, as would the Weasley family. He just wasn't ready. Seeing Dumbledore would make him think about the prophecy and he did not want to think about that either. He managed not to so far, and he had no intention to start now. It was all too much.

Besides, he was really curious about that ritual the fairy was talking about. He had never heard of anything like it before, and it sounded fascinating, so why not? He looked around the street, seeing all the identical houses, void of any individuality. He really had nothing left here now. If he wanted to leave with the tiny female, he had to do it as soon as possible. The wards will fall any second.

He looked at her again and observed how she impatiently flew in small circles right in front of his face, and felt amusement well up in him again. She really was interesting.

"All right, I want to come with you," He said softly, and stood up, pulling his jacket tighter around him to ward off the chill. She released a high pitched sound and flew around him a few times, before gesturing to the trunk and his other personal possessions he had brought with him. It took him but a moment to understand what she wanted to say, and grabbed hold of the trunk's handle along with his other belongings. As soon as he had everything, the fairy touched his forehead, and with a flash they both disappeared, leaving behind only her magically written words that faded away a moment later.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Harry felt an odd sensation overcome him as the fairy touched him. He felt like he was everywhere and nowhere at the same time. The universe seemed to collide right in front of his eyes in a flash of colors, engulfing him in brightness and warmth that reached deep inside him. He felt at peace. Then the feeling was over and his feet touched the ground again. He looked around, startled by the lack of all he experienced during his extremely short trip, and promptly fell into a daze filled with wonder.

They were transported into a forest, but it was unlike any other he had seen in his life. The trees and the occasional bush seemed to pulse with life, almost appearing as if the wind was playing games with them. The leaves were all colored in brilliant shades of green, and the sky twinkled with so many stars it nearly seemed unreal. But that was not what caught young Harry's attention. Right there, in, around and at the base of the trunks of the trees were what looked like a million tiny fairies, and they all glowed with different colors. It filled the forest with a soft, radiant glow that felt very welcoming.

The fairies were celebrating something, of that Harry was certain. There were many circle-like shapes drawn on the ground, with the fairies dancing around them. Harry recognized the shape as the one his new friend was trying to draw in the air earlier in the night. Didn't she say it was a ritual?

He was brought out of his musing by her flying into his vision, hands on hips and an annoyed expression on her face. She pointed to the left and then proceeded to fly in that direction. He looked after her, confused for a few seconds before he shrugged and followed her, his possessions still in his hands.

She led him away from the fairy village and he felt strangely disappointed. He kept glancing back, until it disappeared from his vision completely, and with a sigh, committed himself to walking. After a while he found that the forest still amazed him, even with the lack of the little creatures flying around. It was the most peaceful, magical forest he had ever been in, although that wasn't saying much, since the only other one he had visited, was the Forbidden forest. Still, the atmosphere felt almost fresh as they walked further away from where they first appeared.

A few minutes into the walk, Harry realized he was exhausted. The last couple of weeks had worn him out completely. Combined with tonight's event, the fatigue practically tore at him. Just as he was about to ask if they planned on walking for much longer, he heard voices. The sounds were coming from up ahead and his companion was speeding towards them now. He couldn't help but let excitement come above the tiredness and he rushed to keep up with her fluttering wings. It sounded like people!

As the trees slowly decreased Harry began to see hints of them in the distance. He picked up speed, eager to see where the fairy was taking him and almost smashed into her small frame when she stopped in the middle of the path. Confused, he was about to ask why she stopped when she held a finger to her lips and, very slowly, flew to the edge of the clearing where the humans were. Harry went behind her, and they both observed as the people there gathered into a circle, standing hand in hand. He saw that they were all dressed in various interesting white clothes, with some green or brown mixed in. There also seemed to be leaves and tiny branches entwined into their attires. Strangely enough, instead of looking like savages, the effect was surprisingly mystic-like.

Then he saw that strange circle-like pattern carved into the ground again and he realized was about to witness a ritual take place. The pattern was combined with a variety of symbols that vaguely looked like some of the ones Hermione was studying about in her Ancient Runes class. On the inside of the circle there were six smaller ones that were connected with each other, creating a hexagon shape with a six-pointed star in it. In the smaller hexagon created by the star, a large rune was engraved right in the middle. The circles surrounded flower petals of some kind, a slice of apple, a piece of raw meat, a burning candle, a bowl filled with water; and another bowl that remained empty.

Harry wondered for a moment for what purpose the last one was, when his train of thought was cut off by their chanting; they appeared to be witches and wizards. He recognized some of the words and soon realized that the chanting was in Latin. He crouched by the tree he was standing behind and gripped the wood as he gazed intently at the proceedings. He could feel the magic in the air now, slowly gaining in power as the chanting continued.

It was like every resident of the forest went quiet before the heavy magic, which cloaked the air of the small clearing. Harry felt the suspense practically pouring out of the woods, the leaves fluttering in the wind as everything stilled, waiting for something to happen. The feeling was so powerful, that even Harry was holding his breath, as the magic rose and twirled around the chanting people. He watched as they released hands, and one by one dribbled seven drops of blood into the empty bowl. When the last person let the final drop of blood fall, they made a circle again, uttering one final sentence; and in that moment, the magic centered into the rune in the middle of the ritual circle. The whole design shone with a bright blue, highlighting the dark night with its rays of pure power, and soon extended to the six smaller circles, which all caught fire.

Harry's eyes widened and he almost let out a shout, surprised by the abrupt explosion of flames. He was already halfway up, ready to warn the linked group and help them put out the flames, when they smiled and let out a triumphant yell. The young man crouched again, confused. Why are they celebrating? The clearing will burn away if they don't stop the flames soon! But then he saw why; the flames were not moving out of the circles at all. It was like they were confined. He watched as the six fires ate away at the offerings until they were nothing but ashes. And so the fires stopped.

The people started dancing around the design, which had since stopped glowing, much like the fairies danced around theirs. Harry observed the children, for they were a part of this gathering too, as they twirled round in circles, around and around each other, the adults grabbing hands as they, too, danced with one another.

In that moment Harry felt their happiness like it was in the air around him, and wanted to join them. He stood up and started slowly walking forward, not noticing that his friend was trying to stop him by pulling on his sleeve. He went toward them, captivated by their dancing. It wasn't long till one of them noticed him and stopped, making others stop too in confusion. Soon everyone had their eyes turned to him and a female stepped toward him, anger flashing in her eyes. Harry suddenly didn't feel so welcome anymore.

"What are you doing here, human?" she hissed at him as she advanced toward him, only to stop. She looked him over carefully and then her eyes widened and she took a step back, her hand going to her back.

"You're a wizard!" she said, malice now clear in her voice as she pulled a short sword from her back where it was resting. Harry felt panic rise in him as she pointed her weapon at him, and he reached towards the back of his pants in search of his wand, only to remember that he had to leave it in the trunk when he went to the Dursleys. He started shaking, sure that this was his end, when he was saved yet again by his flying friend. The fairy flew to the angry woman and started squeaking in her ear. Harry was not sure why she tried, because he could not understand a thing she said, so the woman shouldn't be able to either. However, to his surprise, she lowered her weapon, the dangerous look in her eyes subsiding as the fairy talked.

He observed her as she listened to his friend and he saw, for the first time, that she wasn't a human at all. Her eyes glowed a bright blue and her red hair did not look ruffled at all, even with all her dancing. Her face was the most beautiful he had ever seen, and even the delicate complexion of Fleur Delacour couldn't compare. What made her inhuman were not those features though, but her ears; they curved into a point. '_She's an elf!'_ he thought to himself.

The elf pinned him with a gaze and walked toward him, her form more relaxed now. She lifted her right arm and he lifted his in reflex, sure that she expected a handshake, only to have his offered hand ignored. Instead she touched his forehead, but not where his scar was. No, she touched the center of his brow and drew a triangle softly.

"You're welcome here. For now." Was all she said before she lowered her arm and turned her back to him, walking back towards her people, who had all observed the exchange. That's when Harry noticed that she was not the only elf in the group. In fact, there were no humans there at all.

He felt overwhelmed. In all the classes he attended, and all the books he had read, it was always said that the elves had left the Wizarding population, and no one knew where they had disappeared to. Not one human had seen them since their departure over a thousand years ago, when Merlin first appeared on the scene.

So why did Harry see a whole group of them? He wondered briefly if he was dreaming, but it felt all too real. He stood there and watched the group slowly leave the clearing. It seemed like the celebration was over. He looked around the forest then, musing on what to do now, when his tiny friend made an appearance again, pulling his sleeve in the direction to where the elves had gone to.

Deciding to trust her, since so far nothing happened to him under her guidance, he grasped his trunk firmly, tucking his other belongings under his arm, and followed her yet again. This time the walk was much shorter; within a few minutes, they had arrived. Harry was once again struck still, a whole Elven village revealed before his eyes. It was even more beautiful than the Fairy community he'd had the honor of seeing.

The village he stepped into was built entirely from wood and leaves. There were no glass windows or concrete to be seen. The beauty of it lay in the designs on the doors of the houses, and the gorgeous glow of multicolored torches. It seemed like the creatures of this forest enjoyed the colors of the rainbow.

He was led to a fountain, which lay in the center of the village. The fairy turned, flying above his shoulder to indicate they were at their destination. Six elven statues were placed around the center of the fountain, each one holding a vase above their stone heads from which water poured in a steady stream, out and down over them and into the pool below them. Even the statues looked beautiful. He absently thought that elves were really good artists.

Admiring the fountain, Harry's attention soon turned to a tall individual, their long black hair whipping around as they turned to observe Harry as he approached. The fairy flew toward the person, saying something to them in an excited tone of voice. The male, Harry realized subconsciously, fixed his grey eyes onto Harry's green ones, and offered a smile. Relieved he didn't have to go through another dangerous situation, the wizard grinned back.

The elf stepped forward and grasped the young man's arm, his right reaching toward his forehead, repeating the mark the female had drawn before. Harry felt tingles over his whole body. It was a pleasant feeling of recognition, and he got a sense of belonging as the stranger moved away from him. He vaguely remembered feeling a small spark before with the woman, but nothing like this. It felt like a blessing.

"Welcome to the Forest of Phalen. I am called Arian." The man said, his voice deep and commanding, and Harry had a feeling that he was talking to a leader. He straightened his back a bit, intimidated by Arian now.

"Thank you, Sir. My name is Harry." He replied with a slight tremble in his voice, ending the sentence in an odd way, cutting himself off before he could say Potter. For some reason, Harry was unable to give his last name, unsure as to why. Arian studied him, no doubt noticing the abrupt ending, giving an off-side smile as he turned back to the fountain.

"No need to call me by that human title." The elf told him as he bent and ran his fingers through the water, watching it ripple as he did. Harry looked at his back, confused.

"What else am I supposed to call you then?" he asked nervously, shuffling his feet.

"Arian, of course. It is, after all, my name. What would _you_ call me by?" was the straightforward reply the wizard got. The man had looked over his shoulder as he said it, his gaze holding curiosity and amusement. That baffled Harry; he didn't find this situation entertaining at all.

"By your surname?" He asked hesitantly. Arian turned his gaze back to the water and drew random patterns on the surface.

"You humans, with your titles and second names. We do not use those here. Why do you think you were stopped by magic before you could tell me your surname, young Harry? I do not need it, and neither do you." He straightened and motioned with a hand for the wizard to join him. Harry slowly did, and was rewarded with a small nod of acknowledgment, before the elf focused on the masterpiece before them again. The young man turned his attention to his fairy friend, who was now playing in the fountain water, as he waited for Arian to speak again.

"I was told by Oriole that you have no home to return to and wish to learn of our ways. Is that true?" Arian asked young Harry, as he clasped his hands behind his back and tilted his head a bit, still looking at the water gliding down the sculptures.

"I'm sorry, but who is Oriole?" Harry asked, turning his eyes to look at the black-haired man. Arian met his gaze and let out a laugh when the fairy flew in front of the green-eyed wizard, her small hands waving in the air, her lips twisting into a frown.

"She is!" he said amusedly, watching the little fairy nod her head in agreement as she put her hands on her hips. Harry put his palms up in a defensive position, and he let out a laugh of his own.

"I'm sorry, Oriole, but I did not know, and I can't understand what you are saying when you speak. Please, forgive me?" Harry said to the annoyed fairy, who looked him over and sighed. She smacked his nose, which did not really hurt him although he would never tell her that, and then she nodded her head and sat on his shoulder. Arian was still smiling in amusement, but he quickly covered it up when Oriole turned her gaze to him. He waved a hand at the edge of the fountain pool, and the few water droplets that were there, were pushed back into it. With the edge now dry, he sat down.

Harry looked at him, dumbfounded, looking from the man's hands, which were now resting in his lap, to the edge and back again, trying to figure out what had just happened.

"How did you do that?" he asked, his shock and curiosity overcoming his control of his tongue. Realizing how rude that sounded, he grimaced and mumbled an apology, only to be cut off.

"It's fine, young Harry. But I am confused. What did I do that astonished you so?" said Arian as he crossed his legs, looking up curiously at the wizard. Harry let go of his trunk and pointed at the dry surface of the fountain edge, not caring if it was rude.

"That! With the puddles! You just moved your hand and it relocated into the water. Don't you need a wand for that?" he questioned the elf, who had a look of surprise on his face, only for it to change into one of understanding. Arian lifted his hand and raised it above the water. With a twitch of his fingers, the water rose until it formed a long spear of some kind. Harry looked on with astonishment as, what he heard was impossible, started happening in front of his eyes. The silver-eyed man did not take his gaze off of the wizard as he played with the water like it was nothing.

"You see, Harry the wizard, we do not depend on those sticks your authorities make you bond with. We harvest our magic without any conduits while we are very little, so wielding it like this means no strain to us at all," he said, the water changing shape as he spoke. It looked like a flower at first, then a ball, and after that it changed into a water sculpture of a little bird. Harry's eyes shone a brilliant green as he observed the transformations with the fascination of a child. The black-haired man observed the boy's reaction with approval.

"Now that I think of it, you never answered my question," he mused, freezing the sculpture and placing it into Harry's hands. Snapping out of his daze, the young man looked to Arian, and tried to think of the question he had been asked. Seeing the troubled look on the youths face, the elf smiled.

"Is it true that you have no home to return to, and wish to learn of our ways?" he repeated, turning towards Harry slightly, and rested his head on the palm of his hand. In that moment, the wizard saw that the man in front of him was extremely beautiful. He didn't have time to take notice of it before, but like his fellow red-headed elf, his face practically shone with beauty. Feeling slightly uncomfortable now, Harry looked away and cleared his throat.

"Well?" Arian questioned, amused yet again, and the green-eyed boy had a distinct feeling that the man knew what Harry had been thinking. Eager to change the elf's train of thought, he replied.

"Yes, it's true. I… I like what I have seen of your ways so far. It is all absolutely stunning. Would you, please, let me learn?" he asked, realizing that what he said was completely true. The whole forest fascinated him, and he wished he could stay here. It was so wonderful and overwhelming, with its flickering stars, multiple colored fairies, beautiful green leaves and interesting trunks, that for a few hours, Harry forgot all about his problems at home, or ex-home now; at school, with the Order and with Sirius' death, and that was all that mattered.

The silver-eyed man smiled at him, uncrossed his legs and pushed himself to his feet. He reached out with his right hand again and traced out the triangular symbol. Harry was quickly becoming accustomed to it being drawn on his brow, for he had a feeling he would be getting that done here quite a lot. What happened next though, shocked him.

Arian placed both of his hands on his cheeks and leaned forward. Harry panicked a little and shut his eyes tight, trying to get away from what looked to be a kiss, only to feel a forehead touch his own. Startled, he opened his eyelids, and was greeted by flickering silver pools.

"You are welcome amongst us for however long you wish to stay." The elf spoke softly, almost tenderly, and in that moment, magic surged through the young wizard's being. He felt connected to every living creature in the forest, felt their heartbeats and breathing. The feeling diminished into a dull throb in the back of his mind after a few seconds more, but it was still there. Arian moved away from him then, and Harry could only blink. This was the third time he felt a powerful rush of magic flow over him that night, yet he still could not get used to it.

"What just happened?" he questioned, still feeling overwhelmed. He was breathing hard and his pupils were dilated. He absently wondered if this was what a drug trip felt like.

"The forest recognized my words and gave you its blessing. You are now not only welcomed in our village, but in the whole forest. Be honored, for you are most likely the first human to ever be accepted by it. You must be special." The elf replied, his eyes still holding a spark in them as he spoke. He then turned, and started walking down a road that led to the eastern part of the village. He looked over his shoulder when he didn't hear Harry's footsteps behind him.

"Come now, young Harry, you need your rest. I shall offer you my spare bedroom for you to sleep in while you stay here." He called to the wizard, his steps not slowing. With a jolt, the boy quickly ran to catch up with the tall man, absentmindedly remembering to take his things with him. He was led into one of the beautiful houses that he had been fascinated with before. After removing his shoes, he walked behind Arian until he stopped before a door with a tree engraved into it. The elf turned to him and opened it, gesturing for Harry to go in.

"Have a good night, young one. Oriole, come." Arian said and waited for the fairy, who was waving excitedly to Harry, to land on his shoulder before he closed the door and left. The boy was startled for a second, having completely forgotten about his new little friend, but shrugged it off quickly, feeling much too tired to think about it for very long. He opened his trunk and changed into his pajamas, before crawling into the warm-looking bed. Within minutes he was asleep, his dreams filled with rainbow colored skies, fluttering wings and dancing elves.

* * *

**A/N: Hello all! I'd just like to thank all of you that like this story so far and those that reviewed. It's really amazing and I hope that you have enjoyed this chapter as well. I would also like to say that I have a reason for any character I've created (as in, the ones you can't recognize from Harry Potter since those from HP are obviously not mine in any way) and that they will hopefully not overtake the story in any way. Harry is the main character in this fanfic. Thank you again :D**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The sky was a wonderful shade of blue and the birds had already started singing when Harry awoke the next day. He was rested for what felt like the first time in months. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he reached for his glasses, putting them on and looking around. The room he was in had very interesting interior; the walls were made of a dark wood, and the furniture a much lighter shade. The floor was mostly covered with furs, but what was seen of it showed that it was the same shade of brown as the furniture. The room was simple, yet elegant; he liked it.

Harry had just pulled the covers off when he heard the door opening. He turned with a start, meeting Arian's silvery gaze. The elf looked refreshed, wearing long white trousers with a brown, robe-like shirt hanging loosely on his slender figure. His face sported an easy smile as he stepped into the room.

"Have you slept well, young Harry?" the man questioned as he leaned against the wall next to the door frame, looking intently at the wizard. The boy in question looked a bit bewildered, the events of yesterday still seemingly like a dream to him. Reading this in Harry's expression, the elf walked to the bed and sat on the edge, crossing his legs. The wizard shuffled back as Arian made himself comfortable, wondering what it was the elf wanted.

"Well?" the elf questioned, leaning back on his hands as he waited for a response. Harry locked his gaze on Arian, realizing the elf had asked him a question.

"Yes!" he blurted out, his voice a bit high pitched. Clearing his throat and ignoring the amused glance sent his way, Harry continued.

"I had a wonderful sleep. This forest has a really calming effect on me. I've… I've never slept this well before, not even at Hogwarts. Thank you." He finished slowly, unsure as to why he added the last part. Before the elf could question his meaning, Harry continued, "And you Sir? I mean, Arian?"

"I slept well," replied the man, tipping his head back. They were engulfed in silence again, and Harry felt increasingly awkward. He switched his gaze to the window, admiring what he could see of the scenery. It was almost as magical as it had been the previous evening, yet different in the daylight. The forest looked alive, the branches and leaves were swaying in the wind, a bird basking in the sunlight and a couple of fairies were playing games with the elven children. While it had sparkled with magic at night, by day, it shone with the warm rays of the sun. It wasn't overwhelming at all, as one would expect. In fact, it had the same calm presence as a young child does, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves under it.

"Arian?" a questioning voice said from somewhere down the hall that occupied Harry's room. The wizard turned with a start, looking between the doorway and the elf sitting next to him, meeting his silver eyes with his own green ones. He was given a smile before Arian turned his head in the direction of the hall and called out, "I'm in the guestroom!"

Soft footsteps were heard at the elf's reply, and a teenaged boy appeared in the entrance of the doorway, looking rather surprised to find Harry there. He looked a lot like Arian, the only exception being his shorter hair which fell in soft waves around his face. Dark green trousers fell to just below his knees, with a robe pulled over his shoulders, untied and showing his bare chest. His ears gleamed with studs.

"A human?" the young elf muttered quietly, his body tensing. He shot a glance towards Arian. Harry assumed some relation, brothers perhaps, as they stared eye to eye with each other. The elf boy continued, "Arian, what's going on?"

The man pushed himself off of the bed and walked to him, tracing a triangle onto the boy's brow. He then pulled him into an embrace and bid him a good morning. Harry observed as the younger of the two glanced briefly in his direction and whispered something into Arian's ear. A sigh and a shake of Arian's head was his only answer, and they separated. Arian turned around and smiled at Harry, his hand reaching back for the elf boy behind him, pulling him towards the bed steadily. Harry quickly got to his feet, feeling rude for not having done so sooner.

"Harry, this is Seraphim, my younger brother. Seraphim, this is Harry, he will be staying with us for however long he needs a place to stay." His voice had a warning tinge to it as he said the last part, and his eyes quickly shot to his brother's. Seraphim looked to the side and then back up again, but this time he settled his gaze onto Harry, staring at him intently. Finally, he gave a slight smile, and slowly raised his arm to draw the triangle onto the wizard's brow.

"Hello, Harry the wizard. I hope you enjoy your stay here." With that said, he tugged at his hand, trying to free it from Arian's hold. The older looked back at him in amusement but let go. Seraphim glared at him for a second, before changing his expression to a more relaxed look. Harry fidgeted slightly, unsure if he should repeat the gesture, but in the end settled with a nod and a "Thank you, it's nice to meet you Seraphim."

The young elf frowned a bit in confusion, quickly shaking off whatever had bothered him, and turned toward his brother. With a spark in his eyes, he said, "Brother, I'm going to meet Marius and the others at the training grounds. Would you like to come with me? It has been a while since we trained together after all." His eyes gleamed with hope, and the wizard could see that Seraphim adored his brother very much.

Arian smiled and nodded, much to the delight of his brother. His happy expression fell just a little when the older elf said Harry has to come along as well, but he just agreed and left to go get changed.

Harry scratched the back of his neck. He felt awful; it was obvious Seraphim wanted to spend quality time with his older brother, and Harry would be getting in the way of that.

"You know, I can just stay here Si- Arian. I really don't want to intrude." He said as he sat back on the bed, staring into the soft carpet. When nothing was said he thought Arian had already left, but then he felt a hand settle on his head, ruffling up his hair. He looked up and was offered another smile. The elf then turned around and left for the door, calling back as he walked "Don't be silly Harry, I am your host so you are my responsibility. I am not going to leave you alone." He grasped the handle of the door and turned his head around.

"There are some clothes in the closet that should fit you. Get dressed. We will meet you outside," he told him, closing the door and leaving Harry to do as he was told. The wizard stared at the closed door for a few moments, then, with a sigh, walked over to the wardrobe, opening it. The clothes in there resembled the ones he'd seen everyone wear the night before. Grasping a white shirt and green trousers, he closed the door and proceeded to get changed, all the while wondering what he will be seeing later on.

* * *

They were already waiting for him when he finally found his way outside. When he saw the annoyed expression on Seraphim's face he quickly apologized, all the while wondering what he had done to the elf that made him dislike him so.

As soon as he reached them they all set off towards the training grounds. Harry trailed behind them, observing the beautiful forest as he walked. It truly was magnificent and he let a smile take over his face. Children were playing hide and seek nearby, their giggles and shouts giving away their hiding places. Fairies floated around, some joining the game as well while others just observed and laughed along.

All of a sudden a fairy flew into his face and let out a happy squeal, waving her hand. Harry was momentarily taken aback, before realizing it was Oriole. The pretty fairy set her hands on her hips and leaned forward, waiting for him to do something. Lifting a finger, he gently poked her side, earning an annoyed exclaim. With a laugh he said "Hello Oriole!" Satisfied, she flew to his shoulder and sat down, making herself comfortable. '_Guess you're coming along then.'_ He thought, amused.

His attention turned back onto the two brothers, and he noticed they had changed their clothes as well. The youngest donned a dark green sleeveless shirt, and pants that had been tucked into what looked to be black leather boots, with his hair pulled back into a ponytail. Arian had put on similar clothes, choosing to wear a robe shirt similar to one he wore before, this time in a light green. His hair was tied into an elegant braid. All in all, their apparel looked like it was easy to fight in, which was probably the point.

After a few more minutes of walking they finally stopped before a large clearing. It was very apparent that the brothers were not the only ones that were thinking of training today. Elves of all ages, both male and female were there, warming up or using a variety of weapons to practice with. He could see some of them practicing archery, their bows and arrows aimed at different targets. Other elves focused on swordsmanship, practicing moves and having mock battles amongst each other. There were even children with wooden sticks learning some sort of katas, an older elf supervising their progress. Then there were the elves that trained in hand to hand combat, and it seemed that that was the part of the clearing they were headed too.

Harry stared in surprise at all that was happening around him, and his feet slowly stopped moving. His head followed all the movement that went on with amazement and his eyes shone with curiosity. He was brought out of his stupor by a nudge to his cheek. Oriole pointed to the side, and the wizard jolted into a fast walk when he saw he had been left behind. He caught up to the brothers just as they started to slow down.

"Seraphim! Finally decided to show up, have you? I thought you might have been hiding, since you're afraid I will kick your arse!" shouted a male voice. A young blond elf approached the group, his long hair swishing behind him as he jogged. Harry observed Seraphim as he blushed and grinned widely, clapping his friend on the back when he came to a stop in front of them.

"You wish Marius! You haven't managed to beat me in about three years, so what makes you think you will succeed today?" taunted the silver-eyed boy as he dodged a punch thrown his way. The two elves proceeded to goof around, and Harry stood there with Arian, bewildered at the change that had overcome Seraphim. He glanced at the man beside him and saw a serene expression on his face as he observed the friends. He caught Harry's eye then, and winked before stepping forward.

"Now boys, behave, otherwise Harry here will think we are nothing more than savages." He said as he crossed his arms over his chest in mock anger. They both froze in their actions, Marius' arm locked around Seraphim's neck, and they focused their attention on Arian. But then, as if he noticed him for the first time, Marius shifted his gaze on the wizard behind his friend's brother. He released the headlock he had on Seraphim and stepped forward, stopping right in front of Harry.

He was quite tall, taller than the brothers and a lot taller than Harry, so the green-eyed boy felt slightly intimidated. He once again cursed his relatives for his shortness as he stared up into the blue eyes of the blond elf; he knew that it occurred because of their neglect. Marius grasped the wizard's chin and turned his face to both sides, examining him as he said "A human? And a wizard at that?"

He released his hold on Harry's chin and turned toward Arian, all playfulness gone from his expression. Harry rubbed at the spot where his face had been held, feeling uneasy. He took a step back and inched his hands to his pockets, only to realize that the comfort of his wand was missing. He had left it at Arian's home. The wizard swallowed, his eyes travelling across Marius' form as the elven boy crossed his arms over his chest and faced Arian, his eyes narrowing.

"What is he doing here?" he demanded from his fellow elf, and Harry could see the tension in his shoulders. Arian regarded him slowly, his face having lost the cheerful look it had before. He was quiet for a moment longer, then turned and started walking in the direction of their other friends, taking off his top as he went.

"He's under my protection Marius. He's homeless and wants to learn. Oriole brought him here, and you know what that means." He said back, glancing over his shoulder while the fabric of the top slid from his shoulders, catching Marius' eyes. The blond started, and glanced towards Harry, noticing the irritated little fairy perched on his shoulder. He grinned at her weakly and turned fully to the wizard, repeating the slow tracing of the triangle on Harry's brow that Seraphim had done that morning. Marius stepped back and locked his uncertain eyes with his friend's. Some kind of message passed between them, for they both glanced at Harry at the same time, then back at each other. The black-haired boy shook his head softly when Marius raised his eyebrow. Arian called back with an annoyed tone in his voice "Seraphim, you coming?!" leaving the green-eyed boy to slowly make his way behind them, his face a blank expression.

By the time he got to the group he noticed that most of them looked a bit shocked, some even a bit weary, but no one objected to his presence. Harry guessed that Arian had spoken to them. What shocked him though, was when a young girl approached him with a grin upon her elven face. Her short, pixie cut white hair was bouncing in the air as threw an arm over his shoulders. The young wizard looked at her with surprise. She traced the triangle on his forehead before dragging him over to a fallen tree, sitting him down upon it. Leaning over so they were eye to eye, her pale brown eyes gleamed with mischief.

"Hi, I'm Neve! Welcome to the Elven village of Phalen." She said it with a broad smile, her cheeks curving into dimples. Harry saw that she was beautiful; unearthly beautiful in fact. Feeling a blush creeping over his cheeks, he turned his head to the side and muttered a greeting back. Realizing it was rude, he cleared his throat and said "Hello," this time a little louder.

"I'm Harry," he continued, glancing at her again. She looked at his face for a second longer, then straightened up and turned to everyone else, her attention directed at Arian.

"Arian, he is absolutely adorable. Where did you find him? How old is he, thirteen?" she questioned excitedly, her hands clasped in front of her as she regarded Harry again. The wizard's head snapped up and he colored a bright red, letting out an indignant "I'm fifteen, almost sixteen in fact."

His eyes glared at her in embarrassment, and his hands clenched at the tree bark. He had always hated his small stature because he knew it made him look so much younger than he really was. All eyes turned to him when he said that. A female elf with long brown, braided hair spoke up then, her voice soft.

"Fifteen? That's not possible child." She stepped towards him, and he could see she was older than the rest of them, with the exception of Arian, who looked to be around her age. Her dark brown eyes softened when she continued her questioning.

"Were you abused, young one?" She stared at him intently, and Harry had the feeling that she knew he had been. He shook his head, his leg twitching nervously. He wanted to deny the abuse he had suffered, not willing to believe it. She frowned at him and repeated the question, her hand reaching out and touching his shoulder. He just barely resisted the urge to jerk away from the touch.

"I wasn't." he said, his tone more harsh than intended, and he winced at the sound of his own voice. At the disbelieving look he received, he elaborated "They never hurt me… Only the occasional beating with a belt if I did anything wrong."

"Only? Child, getting beaten with a belt is a harsh thing to do to anyone. And that still does not explain why you are much too small for a fifteen-year-old." When the green-eyed boy began to protest, she continued, "I won't force you to tell me the details. If you wish to confide in anyone though, I will be here for you."

She turned to the rest of the elves, who were watching the exchange with surprise. She said with a firm voice, "He is to be left alone. We are not sending him back to those heathens on Earth."

With that, she turned around and drew the triangle on to his forehead and smiled at him. Belatedly, Harry wondered if all the elves were as beautiful; every one he'd met up till now had practically shone with it. When her fingers left his brow, he thought amusedly that if this triangle thing continued, it would leave a permanent mark.

"I am called Perenna," she told him softly, then turned to Neve, pulling her away from him.

"Hey!" the white-haired girl exclaimed with surprise. The only thing the older woman had to say to her was a simple "We've come to train, so train we shall." She continued leading her a bit farther, and began stretching her body when they stopped. With a grumble, Neve soon copied her, but not before throwing a wink Harry's way.

As if that was a cue to start, Marius, Arian and Seraphim also began to warm up. Arian kept his shirt off, probably a personal preference, as the other two had not removed their own upper clothing. Harry was brought out of his observational trance as other members of the group came over and greeted him. They were much friendlier now, and a lot less weary, giving him a chance to relax again. He could also finally take into account of how many were there.

Besides the five warming up, there were six others; two girls and four boys. All seemed to be around the same age as Seraphim and Marius, so he was curious as to what Perenna was doing amongst them.

Two members of the group were twins, a boy and a girl who looked almost identical. The only thing separating them apart was the slight swell of Vivi's chest and the faintly broader shoulders of Vitalis. They both had blond hair that descended to the middle of their backs and very bright green eyes which shone with compassion as they greeted him with the elven ritual.

The next boy that came to him with a greeting was Marinel, with short curly red hair falling just past his ears, and eyes the deepest, darkest blue Harry had ever seen in his life. With a grin that revealed a dimple, the boy was on his way, joining the others in warming up.

Crispin, as he introduced himself to Harry, had his dark brown hair woven into what seemed to be a million little braids, falling over his shoulders and reaching the small of his back. His mismatched eyes held the wizard's for a few moments, and Harry felt a bit uncomfortable staring into the different shades of brown. Fortunately it was over soon enough.

The last two were Aurelian and Karise. As the young wizard watched them approach, he noticed their closeness, and came to the conclusion that they were in love, or at least somehow involved. Their body language practically screamed out the attraction. Aurelian was brown-eyed and black-haired, the tresses falling to just above his shoulders, while Karise was a lovely brunette with grey eyes that gleamed with a kindness as they introduced themselves. Her hair was, like most of the elves', also very long, the ends reaching her rear. Harry liked her the second he saw her gaze, because it reminded him of Mrs. Weasley's welcoming expression.

Soon, all of them were exercising, leaving Harry alone with Oriole. She flew onto his head and perched herself into his messy mane. Together they observed the proceedings. The first thing he noticed was that everyone had on similar clothing to Arian and his brother. It seemed that those clothes were worn mainly for training, since he also noticed the other elves in the background wearing them.

The next thing he focused on was his host. Arian was the only one in the group that decided to train shirtless, and his skin glistened with sweat as he went through some kind of kata with his younger brother. His eyes caught those silver pools at that moment, and Arian smirked lightly before stopping his movements. He turned to Seraphim, positioning himself into what looked vaguely similar to a karate stance.

"Alright little brother, it is time you show me what you can do," he coaxed. The younger of the siblings stopped his movements when Arian did, his words prompting him into a stance also. There was but a moment where everything seemed to have come to a standstill, and then they were both moving, their bodies going into a series of kicks and punches while dodging their opponents' hits. Harry found himself mesmerized by the pure elegance the two radiated while fighting. At first it seemed as though their strength was equaled, but as time went by, you could see that Arian was the stronger and more skilled of the two.

After quite a long combat session, the elder of the siblings pinned his brother down, leaving him unable to move. Both were panting harshly, their bodies drenched with sweat. When they had both calmed down slightly, Arian let Seraphim go and hoisted himself up, leaving the younger to lie on the floor, staring up at the clouds.

Harry snapped out of his trance when a bellow from Marius was heard somewhere nearby. Somehow, while he had been watching the two spar, the whole group managed to sit themselves around him, observing the fight with him. Marius started taunting his friend while Arian walked towards the group, which had started talking amongst themselves, discussing the outcome of the match. The shirtless elf sat himself next to Perenna, and the two began chatting quietly about something.

"Alright, who is going to fight next?" asked Seraphim, when he finally made his way to the fallen tree where everyone was. Surprisingly, it was not Marius who jumped at the question, but the twins. And so another match began. Their fighting style was slightly different from what Harry witnessed before, so he was once again pulled in by the alluring movements. He was so focused on the scene before him, that he hadn't even noticed Arian sit beside him.

"This is not something we will be teaching you, young one." Harry's host said quietly, tilting his head to one side in amusement when Vivi's kick somehow caught Vitalis' side, even though the boy had reacted in time. The wizard jumped slightly at the unexpected comment, and he glanced at the elf next to him, noticing that he had his shirt back on but left untied.

"Why not?" inquired Harry. Arian turned his eyes away from the match and met his, smiling at him as he replied, "Well, there is the fact that your body is not capable of doing what ours can. But mostly because we will be focusing on undoing the damage your wizarding school has caused to your magical development."

The green-eyed boy stared at his host for a moment, then asked in a soft voice, "Damage?" Arian nodded and turned more fully toward Harry.

"Yes, damage. For example, by using a wand you begin to grow dependent on it, and that is very damaging. Once you're in a situation where you have lost your wand, or someone has taken it away from you, you are defenseless. That is just one of the many things that is debilitating." Here he paused and regarded the wizard, then smiled before continuing, "But you will learn all about this, starting tomorrow. For today, I just want you to get used to your new home."

Harry slowly took in what was just said to him and nodded, before once again focusing on the fight. Arian laughed quietly and stood, ruffling his new charge's hair before venturing back to Perenna. When he felt the elf leave, Harry glanced at his retreating back, pondering on the things he heard. He looked back towards Vivi and Vitalis just as the girl pinned her brother face down, and he thought to himself with overwhelming excitement, '_This summer is going to be very eventful.'_

* * *

**A/N: First of all thank you for following, faving and reviewing. You guys are the best! And also, thank you to my lovely friend who proof-reads everything I write. Thank you Bae, it would not be possible without you :D. I love any reviews that come my way, so if you want to, go ahead. :D This is the last chapter I had that was written ahead, so I'm not sure how the updating will go from now on, but I'm going to try my best to have the next chapter written as soon as possible. :D Thanks again!  
**


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